A Brush Called Personality
by kakeras
Summary: A small accident leads Chrome and Gokudera to be trapped together in the school's storage room. Gokudera comments on Chrome's uncomfortable way of sleeping, and after that day, things start to change between them. Slight Fluff.
1. Chapter 1

**Oh hey, I'm gonna practice writing fluff… because I don't think I'm good at it. So, for a pairing, I decided to use 5996 or Gokudera/Chrome or GokuDoku(I love this name)**

**I hope you like it. Here's chapter one. Please reviewwwww :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! or anything related to it unless bought legally.**

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><p>Honestly, Chrome Dokuro and Hayato Gokudera would never, ever think they'll be caught in such a situation… Being trapped inside the storage room with nothing but gym clothes. And of all times, Gokudera decides to leave his dynamite in his locker because his Jyuudaime's intuition felt that nothing bad was going to happen. Well guess what Tsuna, your intuition might only work for you. The two were cold, hungry, and wanted to leave this place. Who knew storage rooms would be so terrible? Chrome didn't complain, but Gokudera was practically asking the gods why he got stuck here with the eye patch girl of all people. He was pleading to the gods that she'll be someone else like Tsuna, but it wasn't working.<p>

_Tch_. _Why of all people does it have to be this useless girl..? She causes too much trouble for us already and is also in cahoots with that Rokudo Mukuro! Why, kami-sama? Why?_

He whined like a woman… Well, he's the Storm Guardian for a reason, after all… AKA, thinking like a woman.

It was already past dinner time for almost everyone else while they were spending time being trapped in their. The worst part is, no one would think of looking for them. Not the Kokuyo Gang, who was always out on some sort of trips, or the Vongola Famiglia, who always think that everyone's safe unless something extremely bad happens to Tsuna. The villains always like Tsuna to be the first target… probably because the antagonists think of Tsuna as the pathetic and weakest link in the family, never even think of him as the famiglia's boss.

The two didn't even strike a conversation during the night. Gokudera grew tired of trying to break down the door, while Chrome just sat on the cold hard floor, obviously uncomfortable.

"Dokuro, can't you do anything about this?" He shouted. Chrome felt threatened, but just shook her head.

"Tch." The silverette says, getting irritated on the girl.

It's not like she did anything wrong… there was just something about her that Gokudera felt insecure about. He himself did not know what this insecurity was, but the boy sure felt that it was something bad.

"Hey, Doku-…" The girl was asleep. She looked used to sleeping like this… though it wasn't very comfortable. Did the girl always sleep cold like this in that sitting position? That would really get your body aching in the morning. The bomber thought that there's no way he'll be able to sleep that way without lying down and getting at ease.

"This is why you're always useless." He observed. Hayato went closer to Chrome and moved her body to a lying position, her head on his lap.

"At least be relaxed when you sleep." He thought that this would be a thing a big brother would do… and he certainly thought of himself as one after having to 'clean' up the mess she usually made ever since transferring to this school.

The moonlight beamed down the small window opening. It wasn't an option for escape though, since they both wouldn't be able to fit there. The light shone on Chrome's face. Gokudera had nothing else to do but admire the girl's silky face… that is, till he caught himself staring at it the turning a bit crimson.

Pretty soon, the Vongola's Storm Guardian was succumbing to his drowsiness. Lethargy overtaking his body, Gokudera fell, snoozing next to Chrome. The next morning, the Mist Guardian awoke next to the silver hair on her face. Her hands were curled up with his. They apparently, unconsciously shared body temperature; the girl flushed. She couldn't get away, since Hayato's grip was rather tight. She had no choice but to wake him up, yet Chrome wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do. She was, after all, a really shy girl. But she didn't have to make a decision because after a few minutes, the boy rose. After a long yawn, he finally noticed that he was hand in hand with the purplette, quickly releasing his grasp.

"Ah..! I… Let's pretend this never happened, alright?" His glare would convince her otherwise, even with a tint of red on his cheeks.

"H-hai!"

The door to the storage room opened after half an hour. During that half hour though, everything was just awkward.

_Did I just sleep with a girl?... Oh no… Jyuudaime might kick me out of his family if he finds out that I did something bad to her!... But then again, she did promise to keep quiet…_

Hayato glanced at the girl, a blush immediately forming on his face, as he walked out of the school with the eye patch girl. They both decided to skip school and get some rest… Little did they know that what just happened back there would escalate to an even greater level.

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><p><strong>This was the best of fluff I could think off _ Please Review though, no flaming please *puppy dog face*<strong>


	2. Misunderstandings and Respect

**Okay, so I got a few reviews and hits which makes me really happy. So, I'm doing this for you guys! Thanks for the support! And please review again. I'm accepting comments as long as they are for the better. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! or any merchandise pertaining to it unless legally sold.**

Chrome Dokuro skipped class yesterday because she needed to get some rest from being trapped in that storage room… _with Gokudera._

Memories of when she woke up from that night went rushing in. She felt so embarrassed then. The Mist Guardian will probably undergo a phase of awkwardness when she sees the Storm Guardian today while heading for school… After all, the two usually met up on the road that lead to Namirori High. Yet, she couldn't help but look forward to seeing him today… '_Maybe… Maybe I should thank him for… for keeping me warm last night…'_ The shy girl really was innocent, huh? Chrome actually thought that the whole reason why Gokudera wanted to keep this whole thing a secret was because he didn't want to be known as a soft person for being nice enough to keep the girl warm. So even while she walked down the street, passed the busy district, and got to the intersection where she usually meets up with the silverette and everyone else, the eye patch girl was already thinking of ways to express her gratitude. There shouldn't be a problem with saying thank you, right?

Well guess what, there was a big problem. Once they had all (Tsuna, Yamamoto, Kyoko, Haru, and Gokudera) met up, Chrome approached the bomber.

"A-ano… Gokudera-san…" she mutters, but Gokudera couldn't hear her. "G-gokudera-san…!" she raises her volume a little higher. This time, he heard her.

"Hm? What do you want?" The boy's tone, cold as always, and so was his stare.

"E-etto… T-thank you… Gokudera-san… Thank you for sleeping with me…!" with those words, everyone stopped on their tracks. Not just that, they were all getting the wrong idea as well. Chrome didn't understand what astonished everyone since she was always so wholesome and innocent. Though Gokudera was beet red… His expression was clarifying everyone's thoughts, even if the reason why he was blushing was a totally different story, and yet the Storm Guradian did not notice the way everyone else was reacting to the Mist Guardian's words. He really was thinking of Chrome the whole time since then, yet he didn't understand this feeling and so did Chrome.

""G-gokudera!"" The two others girls screamed, and they seemed mad. "What did you do to Chrome-chan?" Haru asks in a harsh tone. This snapped the boy to his senses. Well, after seeing the situation, he finally understood what she was talking about.

"What the hell are you talking about? I didn't do anything to that girl!" He defended. Well, he didn't do anything nasty to her, that's for sure. Chrome felt a bit insecure to how things were turning out now.

'_D-did I say something wrong?' _The young girl held onto her school bag much tighter. Being the youngest in the group, she couldn't help but blame herself. Tsuna noticing how things were going decided to put a stop to everything… Well, he tried. It was still Yamamoto who got to calm everyone down. Of course, with that, all arguments were done for now.

When they arrived in school, they were greeted by a certain Sasagawa's onii-chan who probably ran his fifteenth round around town.

"YO! SAWADA!" his cheerful greeting brought life to the group's not so good mood. What was wrong with them? Or what was fiddling with their minds? It was these words, _'T-thank you… Gokudera-san… Thank you for sleeping with me…!'_.

The bell rang, so it was time for them to head to their classes. Haru headed for her school, while the others walked to their classroom together. It looks like their first period was Art Class. Gokudera excelled in art as long as he had the right calculations… while Chrome could have just used illusions to as guidelines for… let's say, drawing where all she had to do was trace an illusion that she'd conjure.

This week's Art Class was partner by partner. Partner's depended on whose name it was on the paper you'll get. The class also required you to paint your partner's face on a canvas. Unfortunately for Tsuna, he got Kyoko. Not only will he lose concentration, but he'll most likely fail as well.

"Gokudera Hayato, looks like only you and Dokuro have no partners, so I'm pairing you up with her." Says the teacher.

Gokudera and Chrome still felt awkward to be in each other's presence. The only reason they felt this way was because of the recent incident that happened to them. The two guardians didn't even talk or look at each other, which wasn't good for the painting. They've both come to the conclusion that it would probably take another day for this ineptness to go away, and since painting couldn't be done in one day, everyone in class was given till the next week to finish their paintings.

The day ended, and everyone went their ways with their partners, except for Chrome and Gokudera that is. But the walk on their way home was spent with only the two of them. And it was quiet. No one said a word, but if their thoughts could be projected into the sound of their voices, then they wouldn't even have time to go home without finishing their chat.

'_Crap. How am I supposed to work with this girl… and why her? It was bad enough that I had to spend a whole night with her, yet now the whole week would be spent on painting a portrait of her face! What kind of luck is this? It's not like I dislike her or anything… I mean, she did get on my nerves sometimes, but those times weren't really her fault… Dokuro… Chrome… Dokuro… Dokuro…! I keep on forgetting that this girl is in cahoots with Rokudo Mukuro. They even have that stupid pineapple shaped hairstyle. It would be gross if they got together. They look like brother and sister… Gah! Tch. Why am I even thinking about this girl? Why should I care if we feel a little weird around each other… It's only for today anyway. I'm sure tomorrow we'll both go back to the way things were… The both of us…' _

Gokudera let his mind flow out as he blankly stared at the sunset, and Chrome did the same.

'_Oh my… I think he's mad at me… Mukuro-sama, what should I do? Would everything be okay by tomorrow? Mukuro-sama, please respond to me. I really want to know what to do. It's my first time having this weird feeling about this man next to me… What is it? Everytime I try to look at him, Mukuro-sama, I suddenly turn away when he does the same. It feels weird…'_

The two guardians didn't even notice that they forgot to turn to the next intersection as they just kept on going straight while the sunset faded. They didn't even notice that they were inching closer and closer to each other as they walked forward, till their hands met, which quickly made them split apart. That's when the realization hit them that they were already heading for the Namirori Shopping District.

"Hey… Chrome… You missed your turn…" The Mist Guardian felt kind of surprised. He's never called her just 'Chrome'. It was usually Dokuro, or guardian, or something like that. But then maybe she was just exaggerating a bit by thinking that they were so close to be using each other's names without honorifics.

"I-I… Yes…! G-gomen…! Please excuse me now!" The girl bows, and heads back, while the boy watches her leave.

There was small shade of red on Gokudera's face.

"I… I called her Chrome…!" And for some reason, respect suddenly mattered to him.


	3. Courage and Words of Strength

**WEWT. More reviews. Yeheeeeey. And a lot more hits and visitors. So I shall continue with Chapter three… 3**

**Please Review. Thanks for the support guysss. If you have any suggestions, please say. If I make any grammar mistakes, please spot that out. Especially with the agreements.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! or anything connected to it unless legally owned.**

Chapter Three

Courage and Advice

The weeks almost over, and it's about time that students submitted their art project. Everyone was supposed to make a painting of their assigned partner's face. The teacher's reasons are still unknown as to why, though. What else? Chrome and Gokudera didn't even start with their projects. The reason? Every time they crossed paths, crossed eyes, or just plain cross each other, everything starts to feel very awkward. They did try once, but the fact that one of them has to focus on the other's face didn't make anything less embarrassing. What's more, this was their final art project for the year, and if they don't pass it, they will surely fail. It would make a great impact on Gokudera, since he is a top-notcher in class.

But they had more important things on their mind.

'_Why can't I look at her in the eye?'_

'_Why can't I look at him in the eye?'_

They couldn't even muster up the courage to just interact. In fact, Tsuna has been so worried about the two guardians. The Tenth probably thought they had personal problems with each other, and he was right. This is personal. Okay, he knew it was personal, since Gokudera kept on changing the subject when the boss bothered to ask about the situation. There was actually only one person who knew what was going on judging by the silverette's actions. It was his sister, Bianchi.

She could easily read the boy, and her sister intuition was also kicking in. Bianchi knows that he does have a crush on the girl. She only didn't know why. One thing's for sure, though. The Poison Scorpion will definitely want to privately talk about this to him. The other person who knew was Reborn. He did know everything, after all, but seeing as Bianchi was catching on, the infant decided to let her handle it.

A knock on the door of Gokudera's apartment could be heard. The Storm Guardian immediately dropped his studying materials and headed for the sound that he heard. When he opened, he was greeted by his sister. His sister whose whole face was visible. This made the boy tumble over and faint.

After an hour and a half, the Storm Guardian could smell the scent of tea. He found that the smell was coming from the small dining room in the apartment. His sister, who was wearing an eye patch much similar to Chrome's, greeted him.

"So you're awake now, Hayato? Why don't you come over for some tea?" She says, invitingly.

The boy, of course, refused. This was, after all, tea coming from the girl who could turn food into poison by touch. And the annoying part about her right now was the eye patch. It reminded Gokudera of Chrome, which made him feel a little uneasy.

"You like? The eyepatch, I mean?"

"Tch. Does it matter? As long as I can't see your whole face, then any mask is fine."

"Oh, but it does matter." Her tone, getting a little more serious.

"This eye patch reminds of a certain someone, doesn't it? A girl named Chrome Dokuro." Gokudera immediately turned and looked at her in the eye when he heard that name.

"What does it matter…?"

"Doesn't my precious little brother like the girl?" She says, straightforwardly. This caught the boy off guard, getting a little flustered because he couldn't think of a response.

"O-of course not! I can't even look at her in the eye because she's-"

"Because she's what?"

"Well what other reason could it be for me not to look at her in the eyes? I can't look at her in the eye because she's probably cute ugly, beautiful annoying, and just my type pitiful!" Gokudera obviously didn't mean any of his words.

"Ah, Hayato, you're so hopeless, no? When I say Chrome, what do you think of?" The boy just kept quiet, not trying to gaze at her sister's eye. Bianchi just smiled. His brother could be so cute at times.

"Hayato, you like Chrome, don't you?"

Again, no answer.

"Well? Do you?"

Still no answer. Bianchi sighed.

"You really are so hopeless, aren't you? Well, it's obvious you like her. Your sister can tell. I just want to know why…"

After catching his breath and mustering up some courage, Gokudera decided to answer her previous question.

"Okay… Fine… I- I do… like… Chrome…" He stuttered, the blush on his cheeks made his sister giggle. It was just too cute.

"And well… I don't really know why…"

"Did you hook up with her or something?"

"W-What? N-no!" Well is sleeping with her considered as hooking up with her? Just that fact was too embarrassing for the bomber to talk about. There was one reason why Gokudera liked Chrome. He just couldn't put it to words… till now.

"I just… I just thought about her… We-… we had an incident together recently, and… well… I couldn't stop thinking about her since then… I'll admit it now…" He took a breather, "I think I liked her even… way back when. I just didn't notice till now."

"What do you like about her, though?" The sister asks, now much more interested in the conversation.

"W-well… " Gokudera was trying think up of words to describe what he likes about Chrome.

"Chrome… She has illusions for organs… And yet, she wasn't discouraged nor did she cry at her fate.1 That part of her is… really beautiful. And she fought and shone brightly like a divine figure. Nee-san… I needed someone like her… But… I can't gather the courage to even try to make her like me." There. He finally admitted it… to his sister. Gokudera was just looking down now, trying to avoid all eye contact with his sister.

"Hayato… That's the first thing you need. You need to overcome this fear coming within your heart with confidence. You must be confident… especially when you try to tell her that you like her." Bianchi stood up from her chair, walked over to Gokudera, and hugged him.

"And… you must love her. If you can't even gather the courage to tell her, then you won't get anywhere. Remember, Hayato, with a little bravery, you can change things." She whispered.

The brother hugged back. Yes. Hayato was actually scared… of what lies deep within his heart. This hug reassured him. And this hug is also a very special moment between the two siblings. Gokudera couldn't even look at Bianchi in the face, much less hug her. This was, in fact, the first time… and probably the last that their hug could happen. This event would be treasured in their hearts forever.

When they let go, Bianchi said, "My little brother… all grown up already. I feel so old now." She says, a little sarcastically.

"But I'm still happy for you nonetheless." With one last smile, Bianchi decided to leave Gokudera's apartment so that the boy could sort out his thoughts.

'_Chrome…' _That was the only person he thought of. '_Chrome… We're not fated to stay friends. No. I don't want us to be just friends… just comrades…'_

Gokudera grabbed a paintbrush and his canvas. The Storm Guardian was ready to paint the girl that was on his mind.

'_I want us to be more…'_

**A/N: Personally, I liked this chapter. Just saying xD Anddddd, prepare for the next chapter. This is where things get serious. **


	4. Love Trials

**Here we goooo, with Chapter 4. You'll know what's gonna happen once you read the chapter title.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Katekyo Hitman Reborn! **

Chapter Four

Love Trial

'_Chrome…'_

That voice, it sounded very familiar to the girl. Maybe too familiar. She anxiously searched for where that voice was coming from, and strained her ears to hear it once more.

'_My precious Chrome…' _It was Rokudo Mukuro. The illusionist appeared before Chrome.

"M-Mukuro-sama!" The girl was surprised… and happy. But that happiness didn't last long, since Mukuro didn't look joyous at all. He actually looked annoyed. And he was annoyed at Chrome.

"M-Mukuro-sama…" Sensing that something wasn't right, Chrome cowered a bit… taking small steps away from her master. She felt so weak and defenceless… but the question is… why? She felt that something really bad was going to happen. It could've just been women's intuition, though, but it's still best to follow it. Chrome did, after all, feel like she was in danger while Mukuro just stood there, eyeing her every movement.

"My precious Chrome, there's a big problem that I want you to fix." He smiled… it was a wicked smile.

"You should stop thinking about that Vongola scum. That wild Storm Guardian of theirs. I wouldn't approve a relationship of you and him. I don't approve of you having a relationship with anyone. You are only permitted to have friends." Chrome wasn't prepared for this. She wasn't ready to accept something so… so selfish especially from her beloved master and savior.

"Remember. I hate the Mafia. I even regret being affiliated with them. You understand?" Chrome just nodded… even if she did, Mukuro could still read what's on her mind. He stomped a foot, surprising the girl who was slowly entering a time of dismay.

"I said no. Stop being so stubborn."

"B-but…! I do—" Chrome was cut off… Her eyes, wide, surprised by Mukuro's actions just now. His face was, after all, just inches away from hers.

"I'm not allowing you to fall in love with anyone else. No one else." Else? What was the hidden meaning behind that, Chrome wondered. Then she was surprised… The girl expected to get hit, or slapped by Mukuro… but this thing that her master just did… was totally unexpected…

She tried to push away, but she couldn't. She was cornered. She tried to look away, but she couldn't. She was held down.

… She tried to run away, but she couldn't, for the lips of a man she was never in love with… was locked with hers. And tears streamed down her face.

When they finally broke off, Chrome tried to catch her breath from the sudden shock.

"M-Mukuro… sama…" She was crying. She was sobbing. She didn't know what to do, who to depend on. What's more, her personal space was being violated by the same person who saved her life. With all her might, she kicked Mukuro off. This, at least, bought her some time to run away, which she did.

She wasn't even wearing proper clothes for the outside. She was wearing the clothes she usually sleeps in. Chrome didn't even care about the feet that were bleeding because of running along the rocky road barefooted. She did not care at all, as long as she could get away from Kokuyou Land.

She kept on running and running, till she stopped on her tracks and saw a very familiar face… And upon seeing that face, she ran even faster, and jumps onto him, tears on her face out of hope. That person was none other than Hayato Gokudera, who dropped all his art materials in the process.

"C-Chro- Dokuro!" He hesitated even saying her name once more. But he was worried… concerned… because the girl he was holding onto was crying, and he didn't know why. But he did know what not to say, and what not to ask, so he just kept quiet.

"Gokudera-san…" she said his name, and looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. But he just gave her a smile of reassurance that she was going to be safe… or something. The boy didn't really know what was going on, but he understood.

"Hayato… Call me Hayato… And… uh… I'll call you Chrome…" She was surprised. Why was he being… really friendly right now?... The boy was surprised himself. _Did I just say that?I, _was what he was thinking.

This cute little event didn't last for long though. Chrome's grip lost all strength, as she looked up at Gokudera once more… her face in misery.

"Augh… Ugh…" She fell, but Hayato caught her. He noticed the big changed on her appearance… her stomach just caved in. And there was nothing the Storm Guardian could do. It was obvious now that… Chrome Dokuro was dying right here. How could this happen? Wasn't she supporting herself by her own illusions? Then he remembered that battle Chrome had with Mammon. The girl lost all control of her illusions, leading to her illusionary organs disappearing. But who was causing all this?

Gokudera looked around to find out, but he couldn't find the culprit. Was this person also using illusions on him? But who could it be? He had no leads, but one thing's for sure, that person was close by.

The Storm Guardian immediately launches all his rocket bombs to his surroundings. Maybe the person doing this was around… And he was. That person was closer than he thought.

"Kufufu… You found me." That voice, it was Mukuro's, and it was coming from... where he was holding? In that instant, the girl who was about to die, turned into Mukuro. And well… Gokudera dropped him because it just looked so… awkward.

"Rokudo! What? What did you do to Chrome?" He was angry. Gokudera was, after all, the raging storm of the Vongola.

"Give her back!"

"Hmm…? You really think I'll hand over my precious Chrome to the likes of you? That's outlandish." The pineapple-haired man laughed, a laugh full of mockery.

"Chrome is mine. I'm not letting you have her." Now Mukuro was really getting on to his nerves. Gokudera was prepared to explode at any time, but he tried to stop himself. Since, this could still be Mukuro but with Chrome's physical body covered with his image. Why did illusions have to be so confusing, he thought. Or better yet… why didn't he understand illusionists?

"I won't let you do that…" Gokudera mutters, but Mukuro barely heard him.

"I beg your pardon?" His voice, obviously not amused.

"I said I won't let you have Chrome!"

Dynamite. Dynamite everywhere.

"Do you really plan on hurting the Chrome who's precious to you? I'm prepared to sacrifice her body and mine just to be with her." There were no lies in the boy's words. The Storm Guardian's words were selfish, yet it was full of an emotion that only he could understand… and hoped that she would understand as well.

The dynamites went off… But wait… They were dummies. These dynamite were only compressed air, and exploded only with air and smoke. The perfect diversion to capture Mukuro's… no, Chrome's body. He didn't have any handcuffs like Hibari did, but he still had a strong grip and the threat of dynamite… plus a projectile weapon that makes use of Storm Flames. Rokudo Mukuro would seriously get hurt, being hostaged like this. Well… He would get hurt if he could. The Vongola's Mist Guardian is said to be invulnerable… in other words, his illusions were convincing enough to deceive and make it seem like he did take damage.

"Leave her… Now…!"

Mukuro smirked. And laughed.

"Even if I leave her now, I'll come back again. You're no threat to me, after all." And with a 'kufufufufu', he was gone. His form fading and slowly becoming Chrome's. Mukuro used up too much of Chrome's flames, so the girl was obviously exhausted… especially from all that running.

Do I even have to say it? Of course Gokudera caught her. Of course he brought her home and let her rest there. Of course he decided to protect her. The only thing that could keep him away from this girl would probably be… his boss.

After a few hours, Chrome slowly woke up in an unfamiliar face. The room was dark, but there was a small ray of light from the opening of the door. There, she saw a sleeping Hayato who was apparently sketching the figure that is Chrome. The girl chuckled. The sketch didn't really look like her, but it was good for an amateur.

Chrome's heart was telling her that Hayato would catch a cold if he slept there, so she covered him up in a blanket… Then she heard some kind of splash. Right there, on her feet, was a pool of blood. The blood was coming from the Storm Guardian himself. He wasn't asleep at all. The boy was… paralyzed. Chrome hadn't any idea of how to respond in this kind of situation, so she immediately called for an ambulance and lay him down on the floor, stripping of his shirt and wrapping around the apparently deep wound with a cloth. She then elevated him on the wall, because she learned something about bleeding in class, but the memory was vague.

_What's happening?_

**A/N: Well, I thought it was time for it to become dramatic.**


	5. We Need To Talk

**Well then. I hope you liked whatever's happening… Or not. Gokudera's bleeding, after all xD **

**Well here's the next chapter. I hope you like it~**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Amano Akira does. Well, she made it.**

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><p>We Need To Talk<p>

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><p><em>Beep… Beep… Beeeeep…. Beep…. Beep… Beeeeeep…<em>

The heart rate monitor sounded throughout the hospital room. It's been hours now since Hayato Gokudera was confined in the Intensive Care Unit. And it's also been hours since Chrome's eyes were dry. Now she had calmed down together with her family, who was worried sick about the Storm Guardian. Everyone was quiet… The only sound that could be heard was the reassuring beeping that sounded from inside the room of Gokudera which meant that he was still alive. But why did they feel so gloomy about this? It was Gokudera. That fact itself would mean that he'd live. They all know him as the sort who won't lose the will to fight for his loyalty… Actually… He wasn't loyal to just Tsuna anymore. There was also another person he was willing to protect.

It's probably only been two weeks since the incident between the Storm and Mist Guardian inside that storage room which led to the former in developing feelings for the latter, but actually, Gokudera's liked Chrome even before that… He knew that there was a weird twist in his chest every time he saw her; he just never understood what it was. There was a time, though, where he realized some kind of… connection with the girl.

The doctor suddenly rushed out… and he had some news for them.

"Doctor…! H-how is he?" Asks the worried Decimo.

"Your friend is going to be fine. We've managed to stop the bleeding, but he'll need to be confined here to recover for a few days. He's awake now, but it's best you wait here. I don't think he's ready to receive visitors now." Actually, he was. It was Gokudera's own lie he told the doctor to tell them because the boy didn't want them to see him in a pitiful state like that. Even so, a certain eye patch girl came rushing into the room.

"H-Hayato-kun…!" She was worried like how any fan girl would be but in a more compassionate way. Chrome was in high spirits when she saw Gokudera who looked like he wasn't in pain anymore. She immediately ran up to him and leaned next to his bed.

"Chrome… Arigatou…" He was avoiding all eye contact with her, trying to look cold to her since everyone was just outside… and could enter any second now. And the whole room was instantly filled with teenagers.

"Gokudera-kun!" The worried Tsuna rushes to his side as well. "I'm glad you're okay."

"J-Jyuudaime…! I'm sorry! Forgive me for getting beat up like this! I… I'll assess my own punishment…!" He was about to smash the flower vase next to him on his head, but of course Tsuna got to stop him. Well, it was just like Gokudera to do things like this.

And after a few minutes, the room was filled with happy chatter.

"Well it's a good thing that Chrome was in Gokudera's apartment when the incident happened." Nobody was sure about what really happened, but the Storm Guardian had a slight idea, but he wasn't really sure.

Everyone just nodded when Tsuna said that… and that's when they hit a realization.

"Wait… Wait… What was Chrome-chan doing in Gokudera's apartment?" says Haru, her voice getting a little angry as she glares at the silverette. Oh no, looks like another hour of misunderstandings.

"So you saved Chrome from Rokudo Mukuro?... But didn't you work for him, Chrome?" Takeshi still had that stupid smile on his face when he said this, as if it wasn't bad enough that the person who saved Chrome would do something like this, but she just nodded. Gokudera placed his hand on her head for reassurance. "Don't worry, we'll protect you."

"Don't be stupid. Mukuro's obviously not after Chrome. He's bent on killing you." Everyone looks at the infant who said this. Reborn could obviously read through anything. He understood instantly about the situation between Mukuro and Gokudera about Chrome. The two were bent on fighting each for the girl.

"W-why do you say that?" Tsuna asks his teacher, his face filled with confusion.

"Hmph. Ask those two yourself." The infant smirked. Now all eyes were on Chrome and Gokudera. The boy tried to maintain eye contact, but the girl immediately avoided everyone else's. They were looking for answers.

"Well, Gokudera-kun? Do you plan on telling us why Rokudo Mukuro is after you?"

"Jyuudaime… Umm… uh… Well… Rokudo Mukuro is after me because… how do I say this?" The Storm Guardian stuttered. He couldn't think of any way of saying that he was going to take Chrome away from her without it sounding like a confession. He wasn't ready to confess yet… It just wasn't the right time and place, yet, as soon as he was about to enlighten everyone with his reasons, he was greeted by a peck on the cheek.

"It's because Hayato saved me… M-Mukuro-sama didn't want that. He just wanted H-Hayato out of the way…!" She stuttered as well. "A-and… I just wanted to say thank for Hayato for saving me." Hence, the peck on the cheek.

And there they were, two teenagers blushing like idiots.

Now it was time for a plan against Mukuro. It was the battle with the Kokuyo Gang all over again… Well, that's what they thought.

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><p>"Aww… Why can't Mukuro-chan just leave that stupid Chrome alone? Can't we just leave her with those mafia idiots?" complains the irritated M.M. with a grimace.<p>

"Hey, let Mukuro-san do what he wants. It's not like you're going to disobey him anyway –byon."

The room was as gloomy as ever. This theatre room in Kokuyou Land never looked appealing, yet this is where the gang chooses to reside. They all knew about the situation, and they had no choice but to follow their boss… Even if two of them didn't agree. M.M. obviously likes Mukuro, and Ken, despite all the time he mocked and treated Chrome coldly, obviously liked the girl as well. And, of course, the quiet one watching from the sidelines but attacks when he needs to, Chikusa, was being all silent and taking in the state of affairs. Everyone's opinions varied, but Mukuro's decision would ultimately take control of them. It's not like he threatened to follow him or anything. Mukuro has a kind heart. He cares for his subordinates dearly… Especially Chrome. He may leave her alone at times, but he'll check up on her when he can… and as much as possible, he'll want to avoid exposing her to dangerous things. Mukuro only chose Chrome to represent him as Mist Guardian so that she could get stronger and defend herself during the time that he was in the Vindice.

But now a different feeling overcame him when it came to Chrome. It was envy. Envy of the many men that she gets to talk to… Especially envy to the Storm Guardian… And he also felt regret. He regrets forcing Chrome to be in love with him. He regrets forcing her to kiss him. If he can, he'd start things over, but he knew that things would never be the same with her anymore.

The male Mist Guardian strolls in the forest and contemplates about his actions and what he can do to fix his mistakes. Then he thought, fixing a mistake is another mistake itself. He thought that he needed to reconcile.

He needed to see her now.

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><p>After a few days, Gokudera was released from the hospital. Chrome didn't have any place to stay in, so everyone thought it would be a good idea to stay with Haru or Kyoko, much to the Storm Guardian's dismay, but this didn't stop him from giving her occasional visits.<p>

"I'm just being an escort here."

"But why can't Tsuna or the others take turns in escorting us?" Haru pouted. She wanted Tsuna to be the one accompanying them home, not the loud mouth Gokudera.

"Jyuudaime is busy and everyone else is weaker than me." He bluntly states.

"But why? You're always so boring."

"Stupid woman, I already told you the reason, right?"

And Haru and Gokudera started bickering again, leaving Chrome uncomfortable. Even while buying groceries, they were bickering. From the type of milk to choosing what an orange or a tangerine is, recognizing that a green lemon is actually a lime. Yep. It was like this every day when Chrome was with Gokuder who was quarrelling with another person. Gokudera and someone would fight, Tsuna would get dragged in, and Chrome would be left to clean up the pieces. The only difference was that Tsuna wasn't with them, which made Chrome prone to getting dragged in to the Storm Guardian's fights.

"I'm telling you, you stupid woman, tomatoes are fruits!"

"And I'm telling you that they're vegetables!"

Again, another stupid struggle.

""Chrome…!"" She caught their attention. "Tomatoes are vegetables, right?"

"No, they're fruits! Tell her, Chrome!" Yep. This looks like it happens every day. She was being treated like a referee.

"E-eto… I think that… I think that it doesn't really matter… a-as long as it tastes good…..!" It sounded like she was trying hard to say this. She kept on stuttering and even put up a forced smile. She wasn't very good with debates. Then she was being hugged possessively by Haru.

"That's just like my Chrome-chan~! Always so smart and thinking of the important things!" She hugged her tighter.

"Hey, you're making her uncomfortable!" Gokudera tried to pull her away… He was suddenly protective of Chrome, which striked Haru odd and thought, _'I know I'm onto something here… But… Well, whatever, something's going on.'_

"Boo…! I'll hug Chrome when I want too~!" Obviously, the Storm Guardian was jealous.

Night came, and it was time for Gokudera to head home. It wouldn't be a good idea to stay with the girls overnight, since they all thought that Mukuro was after him. _'I know I like her… I admit it… but… does she like me back…?'_ That thought was getting old. It's been how many days since that thought ran through his head, and he wanted it out. He obviously couldn't talk about it to Bianchi, since that last conversation with her was kind of awkward… _'Oh yeah… Jyuudaime's house is right on this turn… Maybe I should take a little detour first.'_

Meanwhile, at Haru's house…

"I-… I won't let you take Chrome…!" '_Why did Gokudera have to leave now, dammit…!'_ Haru thought, as she spread her hands protectively in front of Chrome against the man who just entered their room.

"I don't recall giving you the right to my precious Chrome." Mukuro just pushes the school girl off, her back hitting hard against the wall. "I just want to talk to her, if you don't mind." And the man lifts the girl up. She tried to fight, but she couldn't. Mukuro jumped off the window while holding her bridal-style.

**A/N: I promise to make the next chapter better. I've been getting lots of inspiration recently, so… **


	6. Kidnapper

**I'm back with Chapter Six. Hope you like it~ Please Review**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

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><p>Kidnapper<p>

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><p>The room was dark, except for the single light bulb that shined in the center. There was no noise outside, but in this dark room, you could feel that someone is watching you. This atmosphere felt gloomy as well. In any case, this room wasn't the best place to have a conversation… till there was a click… and a really loud voice to accompany it.<p>

"Hey, why's it so dark in here –byon?" Ken switched on the lights. The ceiling lights immediately turned on. There, you could see Chrome and Mukuro having a cup of tea. Nothing serious seemed to be going on, but Mukuro looked at Ken as if he was saying that it wasn't the best time to barge in. Feeling a little bit threatened, the boy slowly leaves. The room was quiet once more.

"Nagi…" the man broke the silence. "No. Chrome. I just want to apologize for what I did earlier. I wasn't thinking straight then." He said that rather straightforwardly. "But I won't deny this when I say it. I love you." The girl wasn't surprised. She already knew with that kiss. She slowly took a sip from her cup of tea before saying anything after that.

"Mukuro-sama… I love you too but… um…" Sure Chrome and Mukuro had conversations before, but the girl was always the listener. She never did try to strike up different topics or give replies. The most that she does is ask questions.

"I know. You like that Storm Guardian. I've reflected upon my actions. I won't stop you if you like him, okay?" But he doesn't want to be a father-in-law. Mukuro didn't really like that loud Storm Guardian of the Vongola.

"Don't allow him to do anything to you. If he tries anything weird at all, that's his end. Got that?" His glare looked fatal, but deep inside, he worried for her well-being. The girl just nodded, her eye trying to avoid that fierce look of his.

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><p>"He kidnapped her?" That earsplitting voice came from Gokudera. Haru just finished explaining what happened to her and Chrome and contacted everyone immediately. "C-calm down, Gokudera-kun!" Tsuna immediately tried to compose his Storm Guardian. "We're going to rescue her… okay? We'll just have to devise up a plan and-"<p>

"We don't have time for that!" The most loyal follower of Tsuna was reproving him. All eyes swept from Gokudera and to Tsuna, and the boss himself was astonished at this 'rare' occurrence. Right now, no one couldn't think of any reason as to why the silverette was getting protective of Chrome, and him being one of Tsuna's best friends, the brunette's intuition made him understand.

"… I-I see… Then… Then go, Gokudera-kun." Tsuna smiled at him. He wasn't always the hopeless No-good Tsuna when it came to his friends. After all, No-good Tsuna might probably only apply to himself. "Jyuudaime… G-gomenasai…!" The guardian bowed, and ran off.

"Tsuna, are we supposed to chase after him?" Takeshi yawned as he said this. It was pretty late already, and he had a baseball match the next day. Tsuna just shook his head. "No. This is his fight." There were questions like 'what do you mean by that?', but the boy never answered.

'_Good luck, Gokudera-kun.'_

The Vongola's Storm Guardian ran as fast as the wind. He wasn't the crazy storm that he was by making rubble out of anything. He ran with motivation not to waste his energy just yet. His thoughts were distracting him, but that didn't stop him.

'_Damn it! I wish there was a way I could get there faster!... No. This is just a trial, right? The gods and aliens are working together to test my resolve! I know it. I'm not going to fail… Not just yet… And when I win against our, gods, make sure I have a nice prize in store. You got that?'_

Then an idea hit him. His rocket bombs, of course. But if he attached that to his shoes, it would just explode on his feet, and he didn't have any time to innovate…

Ugh. Who cares? All he had to do was run and run and run as fast as he could to get to Kokuyo Land. After a full thirty minutes of running nonstop, he saw one of the tall buildings of the abandoned amusement park.

"*Huff*… Finally." The silverette took a deep breath and ran into the Kokuyo Gang's territory.

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><p>"And also, don't forget about your personal space. If he gets too close to you, you should kick him off. Trust me, that's part of being in a relationship." Mukuro smirked. He was being too protective of his precious Chrome to the point that he'll make up some weird statements and warnings for her to follow. The worst part is, the girl listened intently and even took down some notes.<p>

'_Mukuro-sama sure knows a lot about relationships.'_

"Oh, it's getting rather late. Well, it's no big deal. We live here anyway." Mukuro stood up from his seat and stretched a bit. It felt like they've only talked for an hour, but it certainly felt like hours.

"And no kissing. I forbid it."

"… That's not very good advice, Shishou." Out of nowhere, the young Fran appears behind him. Mukuro didn't see him, but it sure was obvious to Chrome with that large apple headgear behind him. "Aren't you being a little controllable?... Ugh… It reeks of two pineapples now." His voice was clogged as he pinched his nose to annoy the older man.

"It's bad to eavesdrop, Fran." You could obviously see the irritation in Mukuro's eyes. But that didn't stop the young illusionist from giving aggravating remarks.

"Besides. Just by her looks, no man would want her anyway. Look at her. An eye-patch and skulls? Only you would have such weird taste in women to fall in love with a pirate." He didn't even take into account on how largely it would affect Chrome. But you can't blame him for his personality. If you annoy him, you'll only have to deal with an even greater annoyance. And that is how you define Fran.

'_What if… What if Hayato-kun doesn't like my style…? I'll have to ask Haru…'_ And she instantly remembers all the insane costumes that said person likes to wear. _'I'll have to ask Kyoko about it…'_

There was a loud explosion coming from the halls. And it wasn't from Fran who was being chased by Mukuro either. Chrome ran, but only to be greeted by a thick layer of smoke. When it cleared up, she saw the person she hoped to see.

"H-Hayato-kun….!" He didn't hear her. He seemed to be engrossed at another subject… that is… looking for Rokudo Mukuro. When he saw him, he instantly threw his bombs at him. The other instantly grabbed his trident and redirected the explosives.

"Rokudo! Give back Chrome!" But this was replied with a jab coming from behind. The Mukuro he was talking was just an illusion, and Gokudera didn't have any Vongola intuition to know it. Just by that fact, he knew that he was at a disadvantage. But that's the reason why strategies usually win battles too. The Storm Guardian shot at the direction to Mukuro's illusion and the opposite of that at the same time. But this was greeted with another jab from the side… and that was his plan the whole time. During that time span, the silverette immediately grabs the staff of the purplette's trident. Of course, he didn't let go. The both of them didn't. It would put both at a disadvantage if one lets go, but Gokudera had more of a benefit. He held one lit explosive and sneered at his unnecessary adversary.

"Hayato-kun…!" Chrome quickly interrupts the battle and kicks off the piece of dynamite. "D-don't hurt him… Y-you too, Mukuro-sama…!" The timid girl raised her voice. The two men obeyed pathetically.

After several minutes, the three were settled down.

"Wait, so you're not being held hostage?" Chrome shook her head.

"Typical, the Vongola boy jumped to conclusions yet again. This clearly shows how incompetent he is to be my precious Chrome's boyfriend." The two faced him, red and wide-eyed.

"W-what are you talking about, Rokudo? I… She… I'm not her boyfriend…!" Chrome looked disheartened when he said this. Sometimes, it's very hard to understand love-struck idiots. Gokudera noticed this, and immediately tries to find a way to say that he wants to be hers without literally saying that he wants to be her boyfriend. "Uh… well… It's not that I wouldn't date you or anything… But… uh… I'd date you but I don't want too…!"

"Kufufufufu~" Mukuro was amused by this whole conversation. It was always nice to see things from a spectator's view… but he wasn't a spectator. He was more involved in this situation than anyone else.

Then silence filled the room. The whole state of affairs turned discomfited.

"I'm going back to my quarters. It's very late already." He walks up to Chrome, and fixedly looks at her in the eye. "And Chrome… It's about time you've slept too. Bid your farewells to this person, you'll probably see him in school tomorrow anyway."

"Uhh… oh yeah…" Gokudera interrupted, "I just want to thank you for saving Chrome's life. I've heard about how you're continuously helping her with illusionary organs, so thank you." Now to express gratitude was something Gokudera learned from his Jyuudaime. Or maybe because he was speaking from the heart right now.

"Pfft. I don't need the gratitude of a Mafioso." The man turns, heads out the door, and disappears from their sight. Now only Chrome and Gokudera were left alone.

"So… I guess I'll be going then as well… Y-you'll be fine here, right?" Chrome kept quiet. Gokudera took that as a yes, so he begins to leave. As he headed out, something… or someone, caught his sleeve. It was the Mist Guardian.

"H-Hayato-kun… I want to go with you…" She gathered a lot of courage to say those words. She didn't even try to conceal the blush on her face that was being shined on by the moonlight through the window. "I want to go with you, Hayato-kun…!"

Gokudera turned. He removed the hand that was tugging his sleeve, and held it on his. "No. You don't want to go with me…" He then drops the hands he was holding, earning a heartrending look on the girl's face. "You don't have permission from Rokudo Mukuro. It means that you don't want to go with me. And that means that you'll have to stay here."

The boy walks behind her, and lifts her up like a princess. "You don't want to go with me. I'm kidnapping you. That way, you won't get in trouble by your savior." Chrome had a look of surprise, her cheeks turning crimson. Her only response was a heartwarming smile because she saw how much confidence that Gokudera sacrificed through the blush on his face.

"You don't want to go with me, but I'm still taking you with me."

Mukuro could see all this through his window. He looked heartbroken, but that emotion twisted into cheerfulness. "Gokudera Hayato… I can trust you with her." He felt like he was saying farewell to the girl he once loved, even if this wouldn't be the last time that he'll see her. But he also felt like a huge burden was lifted from his shoulders. At least now, he could trust someone to care for Chrome.

"Hahaha… Turns out that I was your kidnapper all along…"

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><p><strong>AN: Well then. I guess this is an advancement. It's up to you if you'll interpret the last scene as a confession.**

**To tell you the truth, I have no idea why the title of this fanfiction is what it is _ I have no idea at all xDD**


	7. To Paint and Present

**Here's the next chapter. I think I'll end it on the chapter after this, so…. And sorry for late chappie~ :3**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

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><p>To Paint and Present<p>

The morning sunlight peered through the curtains of the room, illuminating the face of a single girl. Because of this, the girl rose from her bed. She noticed that she was next to someone… a boy who had silver hair. This immediately made the girl flush. She put her hands together as if she was praying, but she was actually apologizing to someone.

"M-Mukuro-sama…! I'm sorry! T-the innocence you told me to preserve has just been taken away from me…..!" She looked like she was about to cry. The girl remembered her conversation with her master last night. In the middle of the conversation, the man lectures her on 'preserving her purity'. And apparently, the best way was not to be on the same bed with a man. Just to save more time, Mukuro just tells Chrome that sleeping on the same bed with a man would get her pregnant…

After a few minutes of contemplating as to what to do, the boy next to the girl woke up.

"Mnn…. Ah… Morning." He yawns and sat up just like the girl. He noticed that the Mist Guardian was looking at him with a look of fear, as if something bad really happened.

"What's wrong?" It looked like Chrome was trying to avoid a conversation with him because all that was in her mind right now was that she slept next to a man. She probably really thought that she was pregnant.

"I-I'm… I'm pregnant…?" Gokudera's jaw dropped. _What the hell is she talking about?_ "I… I slept next to you… s-so… that means I'm pregnant, right..?" Chrome was desperately looking for an answer.

Getting a hold of the situation, the Storm Guardian says, "N-no! You're not pregnant! Well… That's not how you get pregnant."

"T-then I guess I am… Mukuro-sama says that…. He said that the father's in denial would be just as good a confirmation!" What the hell was Rokudo Mukuro teaching this girl?

'_That bastard! Is this part of his plot for her to go back to him or something?'_ He could literally hear Mukuro's 'kufufu's in his mind right now. After several minutes of explaining, Chrome finally understood now that she wasn't pregnant.

"But how did I end up here then….?" She asks. Gokudera blushes a bit as he remembers everything that happened after he 'kidnapped' her.

-_Last Night_-

The figure of a man holding a girl could be seen on the streets of Namirori. They seemed to have a rough day today, and they looked tired as well. But this time right now was really special for them, because they had gone through so many challenges just to spend alone time with each other. They still had a long way to go before they get to their destination, so they chatted for a bit.

"Just so you know… I'm not doing this because Juudaime told me to… I mean, I follow all his orders (if he actually gives me any), but right now, my loyalty took me to someone else… B-but this doesn't mean I'm not loyal to Juudaime, okay? I just thought that you needed someone to help you out." The boy sighed.

"Don't get any ideas, okay? I'm kidnapping you. You shouldn't be so friendly to your kidnapper." Even though he said this, he was actually clinging to a study called 'Stockholm Syndrome'. In other words, it means that the kidnapped will fall in love with the kidnapper. Oh, Hayato, you don't have to make sure that she does fall for you.

"But even if you are friendly with me, just know that I won't mind." Chrome was anti-social. People usually avoid her because they don't know how to deal with her. It was only recently that she started accepting kindness from others like Kyoko, Haru, and I-Pin.

"I won't mind because… well… I like you." Hayato gathered a lot of courage to say that. Soon, he saw that he was closing up on his apartment, and looks at Chrome.

"We're here—" Looks like Chrome was asleep the whole time. Hayato wasn't sure if she heard everything or not. With his loud voice, he even got the impression that she was a heavy sleeper.

He slowly opens the door of the apartment room, carries her to his bedroom, and tucks her in.

"Good night, Chrome…" Her sleeping face was very pretty. Gokudera leans down to fix her bangs… Eventually, he leans down even closer…

… and lock his lips to the sleeping Chrome…

"…. You…. You must be a heavy sleeper, huh?" He didn't smile, he didn't frown, he didn't have any weird facial expression. Everything he felt could be seen on his eyes. He then exits the room to dress in proper sleeping clothes, also thinking about what he just did.

But in that room, a single purple eye was open. And there was a girl with a blush on her cheeks, but it couldn't be seen at the darkness in the room, only shown with the moonlight. Her fingers went all the way up to her lips, feeling it. This was her first kiss. And she even made a small and quiet comment…

"I'm not a heavy sleeper… Hayato-kun…" She fell asleep a few minutes after that. After an another few minutes, she woke up again, but didn't notice the person who just joined her on the bed.

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><p>"Well… ummm…. You fell asleep and I watched over you, but I got sleepy as well and… uhh… f-fell asleep next to you…!" He stuttered. Chrome just nods.<p>

"If you want to shower, it's just the door on the left of the small hall… I'm not sure if we have hot water already because the idiot plumbers forgot to fix the pipes." He immediately reverted back to his usual self when it came to someone else other than Chrome…. Or Tsuna…

"I'll cook some breakfast now. You… You can sleep some more if you want to." But after freaking out about being pregnant, Chrome wasn't sure if she would be able to go back to sleep, so she decided to follow him to the kitchen. She was still wearing her clothes from last night, so she felt uncomfortable. But Gokudera at least prepared some clothes for her.

She changed her outfit to a shirt that was too big for her and some shorts. The shirt was already falling off from her shoulder side, so she had to pull it up every once in a while.

The Storm Guardian cooked some eggs and fried some bacon. The whole breakfast was quiet. Soon enough, though, they'll both open up to each other. Just like how Chrome did to Mukuro, or how Gokudera did to Tsuna.

These two had more similarities than you think. Maybe that's how they understand each other a bit well. Maybe that's how they caught each other's eye.

Right after breakfast, the two had nothing to do. It was a weekend, so they didn't have school. Everyone else was out for some reasons, so the two were stuck alone with each other. Chrome decided to borrow a book from Gokudera. Well… a Physics book, anyways. She seemed to understand well enough, but there were still a lot of things she didn't understand. She threw away so many scratch paper of solutions, and they were all wrong. The Storm Guardian, noticing this, decided to help her out.

"… and that's pretty much it. You're such a slow learner." He commented. Chrome took this the way she always will, with motivation to get even better. Stupid Gokudera, insulting the girl you practically kissed thinking that she wouldn't notice. You stupid pervert.

"Etto… thank you… Hayato-kun…" With a blush, she expressed her gratitude. Seeing the red on her face made the boy do the same thing, so he quickly tried to change the subject.

"Uh… ah… W-weren't we supposed to do that painting thing for art class…? I know it's late but… uh… If we submit it tomorrow then we could still get some extra grade for it…!" Chrome nodded, agreeing with his decision. The two quickly ran off, looking for some spare canvases and paint. After an hour, they both cameup with their materials. They moved the furniture away from the living room, and set the art materials there.

They soon got to painting.

For Chrome, she couldn't figure out how to look at him. She tried making an illusion on the canvas and paint on it, but just by seeing his image made her feel… weak? Uneasy? And the whole time they were doing it, Gokudera kept striking up weird conversations.

"S-so…. The paint kinda smells weird, huh?" The just says yes everytime.

"Uh… Chrome… Can I… Well… I'll ask you a question later, right after this painting." A question? What kind of question? Chrome's heart leaped when he said this, and made her kind of excited like… like a normal girl. For once, she felt normal and loved. She even dropped her paintbrush, staining the floor with some silver color.

"Ah…! Oh no…" Immediately, the girl heads for the kitchen and looks for some cleaning utensils. She immediately tries to wipe the paint off the floor, but it only spread and made it worse. Gokudera tried to assist her, but it was a failure. They couldn't clean the floor. The worst part was that Chrome looked like she was blaming herself, so he tried to console her.

"Ah… it doesn't matter anyway if it was you who did it… haha…" _Did I just say that? Oh no… She might take this the wrong way. Ugh. Where's Yamamoto when you need someone to blame?_

The girl immediately grabs his hand, and looks at him. Her eyes were asking him if it was truly okay she had done this. He just nodded, and the tight grip of her hand loosened, but she still didn't let go. They just stood there. Gokudera couldn't even continue with his work, but from the looks of it, he was already finished. After such a long time of silence, Chrome finally broke off.

"Hayato-kun… I like you." Her voice was so soft that Gokudera couldn't even make light of what she was saying.

"I… I like you, Hayato-kun." She says, her voice getting louder. The Storm Guardian couldn't believe what he was hearing, so much so that he asks her to repeat herself. "I like you!" She screamed, with all her heart. Now that, the boy heard.

He was speechless. He didn't know what to do. Now it was him who was frozen… Then he let go of her hands, and went back to his painting. He immediately took the canvas, and showed the girl what was painted on it… more like written with a beautiful design…

The words 'I Love You' were written with a fancy looking shapes. Gokudera buried his face behind the painting, obviously hiding his crimson face away from her. This was just too big of a thing for him… for them. Chrome takes a hold of the painting, and puts it back on the easel. She then stands face to face with the man who just confessed to her.

"Chrome… I… I love you, Chrome Dokuro…" She felt the warmth and the courage in those words. It really took a huge amount of courage and personality-change to actually paint something like that. The usually wild and blunt Gokudera had a more calm approach. And the brush said it all… A canvas is just an empty board of dreams that's painted with a brush that's moved by personality. The one who painted with love, created a beautiful painting.

Chrome didn't even notice that she was crying already. Gokudera held her and let her cry on his chest. "I love you, Chrome." He repeated those words again.

"H-Hayato-kun… I…. wah…." She was happy. But simple words won't be able to describe her state.

The Guardians had finally told each other how they felt.

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><p><strong>AN: The next chapter is the final one.**


	8. Epilogue

**Here is the final chapter. Yeah. I'm ending it here with a happy ending. If you'd like, I could add an alternate ending with a tragic one. **

**This is actually more of a long epilogue than a chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

_Ten years later…._

The city was dark. There was a power outage, and the cause of it is still unknown. The silhouette of armed men could be seen running on the empty streets of Namimori. Whatever it was, they looked like they were up to no good… And they looked like they were being chased.

"Captain! They're gaining on us!" says one of the armed men to his captain. The captain was wearing a darker attire and he had a feel to him that says that he was of a higher rank among everyone else, so the man could be easily distinguished as the head of this… crime.

The captain then takes out his box weapon. Inside it was a submachine gun, and it was powered with Storm Flames. He shot at the captors. That seemed to slow them down a bit. With a feeling of success, they rushed farther into the city. Falling wires and street lamps blocked their ways. They had no idea why this was happening, but they hurriedly went over the rubble. The captain stays back and shoots at the apprehenders some more and holds them back. He bought enough time for his men to split around the city. When he turned to jump over the rubble, he was greeted with a not so pleasant sight.

"I admire you're leadership to buy time for these men." It was the voice of a young woman, and she sounded threatening. "I'm sorry, but I'm not letting you men off that easily." She then charges at the captain. Every time the man shot at her, she somehow dodged. It was only at point-blank range that the man finally noticed that she was an illusion. The man then met with the sharp edges of a trident prepared to pierce his neck. "I've got you."

The woman succeeded in her capture… or so she thought.

The man released his box animal, a floating squid that had storm flames on each tentacle. The woman's mobility was constricted a few seconds afterwards.

"Hahaha! You can't escape! Your whole body will disintegrate in half an hour, leaving you a slow and painful death. And you can't escape. You are constricted." This woman actually had a lot of experience in being immobilized, and in this type of situation, her slender body can just wriggle out. But she failed. The Storm Squid just tightened it's grip to the point that she was about to lose her breath.

In several seconds, the squid lost all of it's strength. The woman was surprised. Someone came to help her. Next thing she knew, the captain was lying unconscious on the floor. Then the woman was encased in a hug.

"No one touches my Chrome!" He looked possessive. The man was tall, his body was fit, and he had silver hair. The woman had long, purple, pineapple shaped hair, and an eye patch. These two were Chrome Dokuro and Gokudera Hayato ten years from now… Fighting crime side-by-side.

"H-Hayato…!" Chrome pushed the Storm Guardian away, her face a bright crimson.

"What's up?" Gokudera asks nonchalantly. "I'm just hugging you, you know. If we're in a relationship now, we should at least get lovey-dovey."

"B-but… I don't like it in public."

"What kind of stupid opinion is that?" Even if Gokudera loved this girl, his personality still didn't change. The coldness in his words made the Mist Guardian turn her back on him, obviously looking annoyed.

"O-okay! Okay! We won't get lovey-dovey in public!" The man seemed hesitant. But what can he do? Every part of him always told him to do whatever the girl likes even if she doesn't say it. It was just a habit that developed over the years.

Hayato grabs her arm, and makes Chrome face him. There was a long pause after that… and during that long pause, the two were locking lips with each other.

"Just this one last time though."

The purple haired girl couldn't contain her redness. She couldn't even look him in the eye. Even if it's already been ten years, she still hasn't gotten used to kisses. But she does feel very comfortable now with Gokudera. Chrome is more open to him, and days with him are never boring. Gokudera's probably the only person she has conversations with that last over the night.

"Ah…! E-etto! We need to.. uh… b-bring these people back to the base and restore the power!"

They get back to Gokudera's apartment after finishing their tasks… It's the same as the one he lived in since middle school, but now he shares it with the girl of his dreams.

"I'm going to take a shower. You're free to join me if you want to." Being in a relationship for ten years made the two… or maybe only the Storm Guardian, get used to these kind of jokes and teases. Of course, Chrome would always disagree. The girl never jokes or teases because the last time she pulled that shower joke… Let's just say things didn't go so well, and a hand was printed on Gokudera's face for the whole week.

Gokudera's cellphone rang and vibrated on the dining table. Looks like he got a text from someone. Chrome picks it up and reads who it is. It was from a girl named 'Hitomi Miyo'. Who is this girl, Chrome thought.

She proceeds to read the message.

'_Hey sweetie pie~ Yesterday's dinner was fun. Let's meet up again tomorrow. You know the place, you lover boy you!'_

_I'm here, reading this message from Hayato's phone coming from a girl named Hitomi Miyo. Now just who the hell is this girl?... Why is she being so friendly to his texts? No one is usually friendly to Hayato because of his personality… but… I really hope this message isn't what I think it is._

_Am I being too paranoid to read the other texts coming from this girl?... I guess I am. It doesn't matter though, I'm reading it already… But then maybe I should just trust Hayato and not pry into his privacy. _

'_Remember Chrome, since you're the girlfriend, you'll have to know everything about him.' These were the exact words that Haru told me a few years ago. So what the hell? I'm his girlfriend now, and Haru said that it's not bad to do these kinds of things… I might as well continue reading._

'_Oh hey~ We've gotta meet up tomorrow, my dear~!'_

'_Honey, let's have dinner tomorrow. We should also discuss that important matter about Chrome.' _

_Important matter about me? What do they mean important matter? Is… Is Hayato trying to get rid of me for this girl? _

_Before I could read the other messages, the phone was snatched away from me. I saw my boyfriend, his face fuming… Maybe it was wrong to invade his privacy after all. He's probably really mad at me…_

"What did you read here? Tell me." _His voice was emotionless. Just by this fact… I could tell that he was hiding something from me. I wasn't even sure how to approach him now. The look on his face looked like he had a grave secret that he wasn't willing to tell me yet. _

_I ran out the apartment. I know now that the only reason why I did was because the agony of doubt had been welling up in these few seconds. I didn't even know where to go to… _

_I unknowingly went to Mukuro's side…_

The next day, Chrome Dokuro was sleeping on a couch. There was a man leaning on the couch as well, and he looked to be asleep. When the girl woke up, she remembered everything that happened last night.

Chrome probably fell asleep while venting out a lot of her feelings about everything that just happened. Although, she had no idea why Mukuro slept in an uncomfortable position. When she asked, he explained everything else that happened.

"Ah, Nagi. You fell asleep a few hours after pouring out your heart to me… You looked like you were having a nightmare then subconsciously grabbed my arm. I had no choice but to stay by your side first… then I fell asleep soon after." He plainly stated.

"Thank you… Mukuro."

Over the years, Rokudo Mukuro learned to move on… In fact, he thought of Chrome as his little sister. Chrome reciprocated as well just to know that she can depend on him sometimes even though she usually avoids depending on others. There were several times when it was Mukuro who was turning for help.

"But I'm not letting that Vongola scum to get away with cheating on you."

"B-but he's not cheating on me!"

"Isn't it very obvious? Even you looked convinced when you told me about it all last night. Did he even chase you when you ran? He didn't, right?" The man suddenly disintegrates into a purple mist. His face had an a devious smile, and the aura of his intent to kill could be felt as if he's stabbed you in the back with his trident, twisting your intestines like it was spaghetti…. Ew.

"M-Mukuro…!" The –sama that usually accompanied Mukuro's name was now left out. This just showed how close the two have become in a sibling type of way.

"Rokudo Mukuro!" The Storm Guardian dodges the illusionary boulders that were thrown at him. "What the hell?"

"Kufufufufufu~ I'm not letting you get away with your dishonesty." With a snap, real illusions of vines entangled the silverette. As the true Mist Guardian walks up to him, Gokudera kept on complaining and saying things like "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Gokudera Hayato, you will not be forgiven for cheating on Chrome."

"Cheating?" This aggravated the Storm. He was being accused for cheating on his lover of ten years. And boy, did he not like that. And so, a clash between real illusions and the Sistema C.A.I. occurred. And boy, did that battle devastate surroundings.

Then, a young woman, a brunette with long hair and a fedora hat that didn't really match the clothes she wore, was there watching the whole battle. She looked like an artist. And, well, fire from Gokudera's projectile missed Mukuro and shot right at her. The woman was stunned, and couldn't move.

Fortunately for her, another young woman jumps out and pushes the girl away. It was Chrome. Seeing the girl, the two battling each other run towards her.

"Ch-Chrome!" The Storm Guardian immediately gave her a tight hug. "I'm sorry for almost hitting you… And yesterday… You never let me explain… but…"

"Chrome?" The brunette girl looked like she was in high spirits. Her eyes were sparkling. It was as if she saw a celebrity. "Kyahh! She's a beauty! So she's the one honey-pie?"

"H-Hitomi…?" Gokudera didn't look surprised. He thought that it was good timing since Chrome was also here. And now Chrome was enveloped in a hug with the brunette. Now this girl was definitely friendly.

"Ohhh~ Your boyfriend sure is lucky to have a girl like you~!" And after a few moments of fangirling, Mukuro approaches the group. "Excuse me miss. You seemed to have dropped something." He hands the girl a painting. Chrome saw a glance of it, and she was part of the painting. The girl was with Gokudera in that painting.

"Etto… Chrome… This is Hitomi. She's a friend of my sister's and is a skilled painter… Well. I asked her to paint this for us for a ten year anniversary gift." With red tints on the man's face, Gokudera gives the eye patch girl the painting. Chrome, of course, wondered why he was giving an anniversary present a month before their anniversary. Chrome's birthday was obviously coming before their special day.

"Ah! You! Stunning man! Come with me! You'd be a good model for my paintings!" The girl dragged Mukuro away from the couple. She obviously did it on cue. Hayato Gokudera actually had something planned. Well, she could read it on his face anyway.

There was a short silence.

"Umm… I'm sorry for doubting you." Chrome says. Gokudera just shakes his head, saying that nothing was her fault.

"It's okay, Chrome. Just know that… I'll never be dishonest with you. I admit. I've been hiding something… but… that's because it's almost our tenth year together… so…" His whole face was crimson when he said this.

"Etto… Why… Why don't we get married soon?" Was that a question? Was that a proposal? The way he asked sure sounded like he was only looking for a reason. Of course, now he felt stupid when he noticed the wrong phrasing of his question.

"H-Hayato…" Her eyes were wide. She clutched on to the painting on her hand. She was even… crying. "Hayato… W-we're not married because…. Because… I've been waiting for you to ask…!" Chrome blurted that part out. "I've been waiting… and… I still…" Before she could finish, her lips were locked with his.

"Then let's get married." He says when he broke off from the kiss. "I want to marry you… I want you to be my wife… I want to start a family with you… As long as you say-"

"Yes." The girl cuts in. "I want to get married… but… I'm still in the hands of my captor." Captor… Kidnapper…? Those are words from ten years ago. She could still remember the day that she was 'kidnapped'. The joy of being together… The happiness of all their friends upon learning about their relationship… The best feeling she had happened when she was 'kidnapped'. There was no promise, because promises are distorted on the day they were made. At least a kidnapper can swear his life as long as he gets what he wants.

"If you want to get married, then my ransom is to marry me."

**A/N: And I'm done. Happy Valentine's Day everyone! This is the last chapter. Reasons: I'm very busy. I'm out of ideas. **

**I'm not sure if the ending can appeal to you all, though. Well, please review~ Now to put this story in the completed section.**


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